UNAI’s uP IT!

Villa urged to aim for Champions League

UNAI Emery has urged his Aston Villa squad to grasp the opportunity of securing Champions League football.

Villa could take a big step towards clinching fourth spot on tonight with victory at home to inconsistent Chelsea.

After a mixed run of form at the end of March and start of April,Villa have bounced back with key wins over Arsenal and Bournemouth to open up a six-point gap to fifth-placed Tottenham, albeit Spurs have two matches in hand.

With fifth place no longer guaranteeing English clubs another route into the Champions League, Emery is aware of what is at stake despite being forced to juggle domestic duties with an upcoming Europa Conference League semi-final.

“Amazing motivation we have in front of us, but realistic as well because I think we deserve to be contenders now to get it,” said Emery.

Contenders

“Five months ago, four months ago, three months ago, even one month ago, you were asking the same, ‘if we were contenders to be in the top seven teams or in the Champions League?’ I was always saying the same message, ‘we weren’t’.

“But, of course, getting to match 32, 33, 34, like we are now – if we are in the table with the possibility like we have now, we have to try and get it.

“We were excited as well with the possibility that fifth position could be Champions League but we lost it.

“Now we are contenders, but we have to fight with another opponent like Tottenham and it’s going to be very, very difficult.

“The objective we have now in front is a very good step ahead we can make.

Step

“We are now as well in the Europa Conference League and this is another important step ahead we did.

“I’m very proud of the work we did but now we are adding another objective, trying to get a Champions League position.”

Emery felt Chelsea were contenders for a top-four finish at the beginning of the campaign and while they lost 5-0 at Arsenal on Tuesday, he expects to face the best version of Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

“When we started the season, Chelsea were favourites to be in the top four,”said Emery.

“My expectation of them is, when I analyse and watch Chelsea 6-0 Everton.

“It was two weeks ago, with the same players they are going to play tomorrow against us.

It’s amazing.

“They lost the last match away against Arsenal but I can understand because Arsenal is very difficult.

“Even Chelsea was playing well until the second or third goal and they were always in with the possibility of getting something against them.

Analyse

“If I can analyse and speak with the players, the match they played against City last week in the semi-final, as well they played amazing.

“They were really deserving to win. This is the Chelsea I expect.”

MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU: Villa boss Unai Emery